Improvement in game-tables



UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE EDWIN M. MAGY AND RUFUS RUSSELL, OF LONGVIEW, TEXAS.

IMPROVEMENT IN GAME-TABLES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 218,294, dated August 5, 1879; application filed June 16, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, EDWIN M. MAOY and RUFUS RUSSELL, of Longview, in the county of Gregg and State of Texas, have invented a new and Improved Gaming-Table, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to an improved table for playing ball-games upon, the object whereof is to furnish a new and interesting game for healthful recreation and exercise.

It consists of a bed, upon which the balls are rolled, having at the end spaces for the balls to pass through, and behind these a pit communicating with a return-ball alley also an elastic cushion, against which the balls strike.

It also consists in supplying the table with side returnball alleys, in which the balls roll when they fail to pass through the spaces at the end of the table, and other details of construction, which, together with the mode of playing and counting, will be fully described further on.

In the accompanying drawlngs, Figure 1 is a plan of our improved table, with the bed partly cut away, showing the alley below, also the part over the ball-spaces, exposing the divisions. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the table on line so as, and Fig. 3 is a crosssection on line 3 3 Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings, A is the bed of the table, supported perfectly level on legs B B at each end. A box, 0, is formed under the bed by side plates, at a, and top and bottom plates, 12 b, fixed between the legs lengthwise of the table. The bottom I) is inclined from the far or pit end of the table to the end where the players stand. This furnishes a returnball alley for the balls that fall into the pit. Around the box 0, at the end and on the sides, are troughs D, those on the sides having inclined bottoms b, to form return-alleys for the balls that roll off the table.

At the far end of the table is built a framework composed of sills c c c, uprights d d on either side, and connecting cross-pieces e 6. This frame is cased in, forming a box, the inside of the back whereof is provided with an elastic cushion, E, of rubber or other suitable material. On the sills, inside, is laid a floor, f, even with the floor b of the box 0, so that the balls will roll from floor f to b Without obstruction. The sides 9 g of this box reach up to a level with the floors 1)" of troughs D, connecting therewith, and converge to the upper ends of the side plates, at a, of box 0. This forms a pit, F, and the balls that fall into it are led by the converging sides to the upper end of the box 0, entering which they roll down to the opposite end and fall into the depression h in the end trough, from whence they are lifted up to the bed for the players.

At the pit end of the bed four uprights, G, are placed edgewise to the length of the bed, and held between the bed and the projection H from the cross-beam. The edges of these uprights next to the players are provided with rubber cushions i, to deaden the impact of the balls. Three spaces are thus formed at the end of the bed, the center one of which is marked 5, and the side ones 10. The table thus made is used in the following manner: The balls used in playing the game are from four to eight inches in diameter, and are thrown by hand. The player stands on the bed A, at the end opposite the pit, and throws or rolls the ball on the bed toward the spaces marked 5 10. The first roll counts whatever space the ball rolls through, and every time the ball is sent through the center space it counts five but the side holes cannot be counted twice until the player has made points on each hole. Each player is entitled to five plays or rolls. When the ball rolls off the table directly or by rebounding from the rubber faces i of the uprights and falls into the side troughs or alleys, l), and thence passes into the ball-pit F, three points are deducted from the players score; but when the ball, without going through the scoringspaces, strikes the rubber cushion at the back and rebounds into one of the alleys D and rolls back without entering the pit it neither counts for nor against the player. After passing the ball through each of the spaces 5 10 10 in the remaining plays each space that the ball passes through counts in the score for the number marked over it.

When each play er has rolled five balls apiece and his score added up the game is decided.

buck E, box (7, forming a return-ball alley for the pit, and side troughs, D, to form side alleys f'or returniug balls thatroll off the table and fail to enter the pit, the whole arranged to operate in the manner substantially as described.

EDVVIN MILTON MAGY. RUFUS RUSSELL.

Witnesses:

T. M. CAMPBELL, K. B. LEVY. 

